The document discusses Johnny Cash's song "A Man in Black" and how it relates to Christian generosity and sacrifice. It tells the story of how Cash found faith after struggling with drugs and almost dying, which inspired him to wear black to represent the poor and downtrodden. The pastor encourages the congregation to give generously to the church like the "Man in Black", to support its ministries and missions. He emphasizes imitating Christ's self-sacrificing example and putting God and others first with our resources.

1. A Man in Black A Church in Black

2. Question Posed If I were sitting out there with you I would be asking Why would he dress in black to preach?

3. Prayed to know what to say Driving in car to a meeting at work and I Put on 94.9 country music. Song comes on I hadn’t heard since 1979 “ A Man in Black” by Johnny Cash This song speaks to our hearts and responsibilties we have as Christians History of Johnny Cash

4. History of Johnny Cash As a young boy he loved music, but his father wanted him to work in the lumber mill His mother encouraged him to sing and follow his dream. They were good Christian people and raised their kids in the church. He became a huge country singing star, but got wrapped up in the partying lifestyle like so many of the people who acquire wealth but don’t know how to use it wisely. He began drinking heavily and doing drugs while on tour

5. Johnny Cash – Christian Man One night he hit bottom, and he as all strung out on drugs and decided to take his own life. He went to Nic-a-Jac cave in the mountains of Tennessee and crawled in thinking he would never find his way out. Cash was lying in the cave ready to die when he felt the spirit of God and even in the pitch black cave he crawled out to find his mother and wife, June Carter Cash. They knew he would go to the cave to be alone. That experience changed Johnny Cash forever.

6. “A Man in Black” Listen to words on the screen

7. How song ties to Consecration Sunday I wear black for the poor and beaten down, Livin’ in the hopeless, hungry side of town

8. How song ties to Consecration Sunday I wear the black for those who never read, Or listened to the words that Jesus said, About the road to happiness through love and charity, Why, you’d think He’s talking straight to you and me.

9. Scripture 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 Remember this:

10. Challenge I wear black as the Symbol of our needs for: God Our Church Others Symbol of black in accounting means positive balances Our Challenge Give to God and our church more than you ever have!

11. My Path to AUMC Moved to many different churches in my younger days Cindy and I struggled to find a church home and then we moved to Abingdon Coming to Abingdon we have found our spiritual home We need to support the wonderful ministries of our church

12. My Path to AUMC This church and you people have been an answered prayer Don’t ever take our wonderful church and pastor for granted We need to support our mission financially as well as with our time and physical gifts

13. Generous Giving In this world it is not what we take up, but what we give up, that makes us rich. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

14. JESUS GAVE Even though many different kinds of imagery are used to describe Jesus the theme of sacrifice remains pervasive. For example later in his ministry Jesus explains who he is in terms of a very different relationship to sheep by declaring I am the good shepherd and The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10.14) This, even when Jesus is described in different roles the sacrificial character of his identity remains unchanged.

15. A Church in Black Christian generosity centers on the imitation of the author of generosity— Jesus Christ It is impossible to be an authentic Christian giver if we do not understand the manner in which Christ gave.

16. A Church in Black Follow in Christ’s example, not only by acting sacrificially at times, but rather, by seeking to make sacrifice a central characteristic of their own personal identity as the Spirit of Jesus enables (Philippians 2:5-11).

17. What is a generous giver? One who experiences the joy of giving. When he gives, it does not feel like a burden but a pleasure. One who Lives and gives with an eternal perspective . One who Models the proverb, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35b). One who Recognizes that God owns everything . One who Offers gifts as an act of worship.

18. Generous Giving The short answer is 100 % Jesus said that anyone who does not give up all of his possessions cannot be his disciple.(Luke 14:25)At the same time, we recognize that God graciously lets us use and enjoy some of the material resources that he entrusts into our care.

19. How much am I required to give? We must care about what God cares about We must apply the Greatest Commandments to our money and possessions: to love God wholeheartedly and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40 So, when confronted by financial decisions, we should ask ourselves, “Have I considered the financial needs of others to be as important as my own?” (see also Philippians 2:3-4). We must imitate the sacrificial example of Jesus on the cross.

20. Generous Giving Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein

21. My Greatest Desire For You My greatest desire is to see all of you so greatly blessed that you cannot contain those blessings! I hope that God pours miracle after miracle into your life; Miracles of healings; miracles of peace; joy and happiness; and most of all, miracles of spiritual blessings! But I know that those types of miracles will never come unless we first give unto God with a Cheerful heart of our firstfruits and the best that we have to give.

22. Our Mission Like the Man in Black, Let’s be the Church in Black Both literally and figuratively

23. Stewardship Prayer 0 God, I resolve to put You first in my life. I recognize that You have blessed me with all that I have and all that I am. As your steward, I resolve to sacrifice when necessary but always to do so out of a spirit of sincere love, just as your Son, Jesus, did for me. I humbly accept the challenge to share from my means rather than from my excess.

24. I recognize that being a good steward is nothing more than being truly Christian. Dear God, I resolve, to be generous with my time, talent and treasure, giving in proportion to the gifts I have been given. I commit myself to taking care of my body and all of creation. I know there will be times when I will fall to be a good steward, but I pledge to keep on trying. I will confidently live each day with a spirit of true peace and joy in knowing that I am doing your will. Amen.